The early start for this one was a bit of a nuisance as I was picking Jen up at Ferrybridge Services beforehand. It was doable though, or at least it would have been if I hadn’t taken the wrong turning at the roundabout coming out and set off on the M62 towards Manchester instead. I didn’t realise my error until Saddleworth, which meant that I’d be pushed to make the Riverside in time for kick-off.
I messaged Tom and Harry to tell them to make their own way there and that I’d meet them inside. I parked up near the University just as the teams were coming out. Surprisingly, the strains of Pigbag carried that far.
As I reached the ground ten minutes in, there was a roar that signalled our first goal. I popped into the ticket office and within a minute or two had a replacement paper ticket in my hand. I was in my seat with just twelve minutes gone.
We barely got out of second gear in the remainder of the first half, but still went in at the break, three-up. Preston had a man sent off just after the restart and by the time Tommy Conway had notched his second and our fourth goal of the afternoon, it was all over with half an hour still to play.
Coming out of the ground in daylight at full-time was a novelty and the mood was good after out fourth win on the trot. The result left us in second place, three points behind Coventry and, perhaps more importantly, five points ahead of third placed Ipswich. It’s starting to all get real.
Trail of the Lion King 